Fifty Shades of Red
by Calem de Vaniville
Summary: Sequel to Reflection. Red returns home from Mt. Silver and finds himself in a new world. However, life back in Pallet Town will prove to be difficult. Red finds it hard to assimilate back into society, and the people seem strange to him. Despite all this, Leaf and Blue are there to help him. Professor Oak will also be very supportive. COMPLETED!
1. The First Day Home

_**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Pokemon, Red, or any of the canon characters. They are property of Nintendo. I do, however, own a few of the characters._

_This fanfic is rated K+ for very mild language that will appear later on._

_This is a sequel to my fanfic "Reflection". This story picks up where that one left off._

* * *

**THE ESTATE OF NIBIRU-MUL PRESENTS**

**FIFTY SHADES OF RED**

**CHAPTER 1: THE FIRST DAY HOME**

When we last left off, Red had decided to go home. He had found out that he really did have a father - that father being Professor Oak. Finding this out made Red realize that he should go home after all these years of being out in the open. His days at Mt. Silver were over - now was the time to turn over a new leaf.

(Red is having a flashback.)

"I think I want to come home. I think that my journey has finally ended. Tomorrow, I'm going to pack all my stuff and come home for good."

"Professor Oak...I mean Dad...I want to thank you for all that you've done. You really helped me all these years. And now it's good to know that you are part of my family."

(End of Red's flashback.)

Red was sitting in the front seat of his mother Maria's car, looking out the window. He was admiring the scenery around him. It was lovely. It had not changed much in the past five years. This pleased Red very much.

"It's wonderful," said Red. "The outside word is still as good as ever."

"I'm glad you like it," said Maria. "We will be home soon."

Red could not take his eyes off the roadside. He had not seen it in so long. It was perplexing.

Within ten minutes, Maria's car entered Pallet Town. The town was very much the same as it had always been. It still had Professor Oak's laboratory located in the center. Now it would have more meaning to Red because of the discovery that Professor Oak was his father. Red saw Leaf's house. Maria stopped the car so Red could talk to Leaf, who was outside waving.

"Hello, Leaf!" said Red.

"Hey, Red!" said Leaf. "I see you're back in Pallet Town!"

"I sure am," said Red. "Mom is driving me home."

"Blue is at the Gym," said Leaf, "and Daisy is out buying new clothes for you. We'll come over later!"

"Sure thing," said Red.

Before long, the car reached Red's house. Red was happy that his house was the same. It was a white house with a red roof, and it was surrounded by a white fence. Red could see his bedroom window, and smiled when he saw it.

"We're here," said Maria. "You can go relax in your room. I've kept it tidy for you."

"Thanks!" said Red. "I can't wait to see my room!"

Maria got out of the car. She went over to the other side of the car and opened it up. She helped Red out of the car since Red was feeling a bit tired. Maria closed the car. She walked to the front door and looked back at Red.

"I'll be unpacking your things in a moment," said Maria.

"Okay," said Red.

Maria opened the door and went inside.

Red was feeling happy that he was back at home. But it wasn't perfectly satisfying - Red was also somewhat confused. He had been away from civilization for so long, he had forgotten much of it. He did not realize how things worked, as well as the changes that took place. He hoped that that wouldn't affect him negatively.

"I'm glad to be here," said Red, "but I'm a bit uneasy about this. Maybe I'm just imagining it. But still..."

Red took a deep breath and went inside the house. Upon entering, Red looked around. The lights were turned off. There was plenty of furniture in the living room, including a TV - which Red hadn't seen in years. Red took a peek in the kitchen as well. He looked at the microwave, the stove, and the washing machine. These devices were all strange to him. He wondered what they were used for. When Red had been sheltered by the reclusive idol Angel, he only had the bare necessities.

Red went back to the front door and took off his shoes. Then he went upstairs so he could look for his old room. He remembered that his room had a red door. He opened the red door and walked inside. The room had a red rug on the floor and a bed with a red plaid blanket. Red also had a desk with a computer that he had not used in a long time. The wooden walls were decorated with pictures. There was an ebony dresser with various belongings. In one corner of the room was a red beanbag chair.

"It's still the same old room," said Red. "I see that Mom has kept it in good shape. I wonder if I could rest in my bed." Red took off his pants and his baseball cap. He then climbed under the covers.

A minute later, Maria walked in the room.

"I see you've taken a liking to your room," said Maria. "You can rest until dinner. What do you want for dinner?"

"Something simple," said Red. "I haven't been eating anything fancy."

"How about a sandwich?" asked Maria. "I bought meat last night after I went to see you. How does pepperoni sound?"

"Fine," said Red. "I'll eat it."

"Okay," said Maria. "Go rest now. It will do you good."

Maria left the room and closed the door behind her.

As Red lay in bed, he was thinking about his new life. He was not sure if he could get used to it right away. He was finding this new world to be quite strange - being at Mt. Silver prevented him from interaction. But he was just glad to get some rest - and that is what he would do.


	2. Old and New Friends

_**A/N: **Chapter 2 is up! This chapter features a lot of continuity nods to my first fic with Red._

_Red's physical appearance here is inspired by his manga look._

_I also took some anime locations in Pallet Town to spice it up._

* * *

**CHAPTER 2: OLD AND NEW THINGS**

When Maria called Red for dinner, he came downstairs. Red sat at the table and looked at his dinner. It was a pepperoni sandwich with apple juice on the side. Red hadn't had a sandwich in a while. Would this sandwich taste good?

Red took a bite out of the sandwich. To Red's surprise, the sandwich tasted good.

"Wow," said Red. "This is the first sandwich you have given me in a long time. But it's as good as ever!"

"I'm glad you enjoy it," said Maria.

Red ate the rest of the sandwich sandwich and drank the apple juice.

"Mom," said Red. "I think I'd like to go hang out with Blue and Leaf. I haven't seen Blue yet today. He should be home from the Gym. Daisy should be available as well. Maybe they can show me around Pallet Town. I want to enjoy the outdoors while it's still bright outside."

"Of course you can," said Maria. "But you can stay out late if you want. After all, you're seventeen. You're not a kid anymore."

"I know," said Red. "I've grown so much. But I'll still be home at a reasonable time."

"Fine," said Maria.

Before he left, Red went to check on Pika. Pika seemed to be pretty happy. He was playing all over the room - he felt at home.

Red went over to Blue's house. Blue's house looked similar to Red's house. Blue and Leaf were hanging out in the backyard. Red entered the backyard and looked at Blue and Leaf.

"Hey guys!" said Red.

"What's up, Red?" said Blue.

"How are things going?" asked Leaf.

"Mom and I got home a while ago," said Red. "I was resting in my room since I was so tired. Mt. Silver really takes a lot out of you. I just had my first dinner home with Mom. It was pretty good."

"What's it like to be home?" asked Leaf.

Red sighed.

"Pretty strange, actually," said Red. "I find all of the technology strange, like the TV. I don't think I've watched it in a long time - I don't even know what's on all the channels. The stove is pretty weird to me too. I wouldn't turn it on."

Blue was shocked. He could not believe that Red was talking like this.

"Oh crap," said Blue. "You've really been away from civilization."

"I guess so," said Red. "The whole thing vexes me. It feels almost as strange as finding out that you are my nephew. And Daisy is my niece, and she's older than I am. How does Daisy feel about that? I hope she's not troubled by it."

"She doesn't even notice," said Blue. "She always had the feeling that you were part of our family, so it was no surprise that you really are a part of it. It's pretty hard to upset Daisy, you know. She's a tough cookie."

Red laughed. "You're right," he said.

"How does it feel accepting that Professor Oak is your father?" asked Leaf.

"I'm taking it well," said Red. "But it's not going to be easy for me. I'll probably have to get used to calling Professor Oak Dad. I've been calling him Professor Oak since I was little. I didn't know he'd be my biological father."

"I'm sure Professor Oak will understand," said Leaf.

Red ran his head through his black bangs that were falling over his red eyes.

"Is he home?" asked Red. "What about Daisy?"

"They got home 45 minutes ago," said Blue, looking at his watch. "Daisy was out buying you clothes. Gramps was at his lab. I'll get them for you."

Blue went inside and fetched Daisy and Professor Oak. They rushed outside so they could see Red.

"Red!" said Daisy. "Long time no see!"

Red turned around.

"Hello, Daisy," said Red. "Nice to see you."

"I'm excited to see you too," said Daisy. "I have plenty of new clothes for you. I see you've grown."

"Not as much as me, though," said Blue.

"You're right," said Red. "All that time in the mountains must have stunted my growth." Indeed it had. Red was noticeably shorter than Blue. "I used to be the same height as Blue. Now he's like three taller than me."

"Red, my boy," said Professor Oak. "Welcome back home. I see you've already become close with your friends."

"So happy to see you, Prof...Dad!" said Red.

"I also see that it's hard for you to call me Dad," said Professor Oak. "Give it a little time. You'll get used to it eventually. I won't mind if you slip."

Red scratched his head.

"I think I'd like to show Red around Pallet Town," said Leaf. "There have been some changes. Would you like that, Red?"

"Yes, I'd love to!" said Red.

"I'll come along too," said Blue. "It is okay if we leave, Gramps?"

"Sure," said Professor Oak.

"Have fun!" said Daisy. She turned to Blue. "By the way, I also got you a little something."

Daisy gave Blue a pack of tighty whities.

"Just some new underwear that you requested," said Daisy.

Blue blushed.

"I see that you're turning red," said Red.

"Stop it," said Blue.

Red, Blue, and Leaf got up and left the house. The three of them took a walk around town. Red saw that things were mostly the same. He saw Professor Oak's lab, the Oak Corral, and the Xanadu Nursery. It all looked familiar to him.

Eventually, Red saw something new - an ice cream parlor. Red knew this building as an abandoned carpentry shop. Now it was up and running with a new purpose.

"Blue and I go here all the time," said Leaf. "They make the best ice cream. It's even had visitors from Johto - Falkner, the Gym Leader of Violet City, is a huge fan of this place. We see him there every time he visits Pallet Town. He usually gets pistachio ice cream. Have you met him?"

"No, I have not," said Red.

"He's really nice," said Leaf. "A little impulsive sometimes, but still a good guy."

"I can't remember the last time I had ice cream," said Red. "It's been quite some time."

"They even have your favorite flavor, raspberry," said Blue.

"That I could enjoy," said Red. "I gathered wild raspberries every summer when I lived at Mt. Silver."

"We'll go in now if you want," said Blue,

The three of them went inside the ice cream parlor. The man at the counter greeted them.

"What would you like?" he asked.

"I'll take a scoop of rocky road," said Blue.

"I'll have mint chocolate chip," said Leaf.

"Okay," said the man at the counter. "And what about him?"

Red was getting a bit nervous about answering. He was feeling a bit sweaty.

"Is he okay?" asked the man.

"He's just a little shy," said Leaf. "He'll take raspberry." She turned to Red. "Right, Red?"

Red nodded his head.

"Okay," said the man. "Cups or cones?"

"Cones," said Blue.

The man served everyone their ice cream. Blue was the one who paid. Everyone ate their ice cream. Red found the taste a little odd at first, but he got used to it after a while.

"It was weird how you didn't know how to respond to that man," said Blue.

"Sorry," said Red. "I'm not used to it. Angel was one of the few people I spoke to more than a few times. She's a recluse too, so we could bond over it."

Blue and Leaf then showed Red another building. This one was an aquarium.

"This aquarium is very small," said Leaf, "but it's nice. It has rare creatures from other parts of the world, including a blue-ringed octopus and 40 species of cichlid. There's also very tame Basculin from Unova - they even got the red ones and the blue ones to get along, which they normally cannot do."

"Unfortunately, they're closing pretty soon," said Blue, "so we can't go today. Maybe this Friday."

"What day is it?" asked Red.

"Today's Monday," said Blue.

"I'm not good with calenders," said Red.

Afterwards, Blue and Leaf brought Red to the shore. Here there was a lighthouse. It wasn't too tall, but it was shining bright.

"This lighthouse is a replica of one that collapsed in an earthquake when Dad was a kid," said Blue.

"I remember this place," said Red. "This is where Professor Oak used to take me and you fishing."

"They rebuilt the lighthouse last year," said Leaf. "It looks nice."

"It feels odd talking to everyday people," said Red. "They don't even recognize me."

"You'll need to get used to them," said Blue. "There is a whole world full of people around you."

"I know," said Red, "but it's going to be tough."

"We'll help you out," said Blue. "We can start tomorrow. My dad's visiting tomorrow, and you're invited for dinner."

"I am?" asked Red.

"Yes," said Blue. "He heard the news that you are his half-brother. He wants to get to know you better."

Leaf looked up at the sky.

"We should be bringing you home now, Red," said Leaf. "It's starting to get late, and you need your rest. You probably didn't get much living at Mt. Silver."

"No, I did not," said Red. "I need sleep."

Blue and Leaf brought red home. When Red went inside, he saw that Daisy had brought over new clothes for him. Red looked through the clothes. He found a pair of pajamas - a red T-shirt and a pair of red plaid shorts. He thought that these would be comfortable.

Maria came in as well.

"Red," said Maria, "I have a nice, warm bath your you. I heard that you washed yourself without a tub at Mt. Silver."

"I did," said Red. "I'll be right there!"

After Red's bath, he put on his new pajamas and went to his room. Red talked to Pika.

"I think that this is going to be hard," said Red. "I still feel different from others. But at least Blue and Leaf are here to help me out. They are the best friends I could ever ask for."

"Pika," said Pika.

"Goodnight," said Red.

Red got into bed and slowly drifted off to sleep.


	3. Dinner at Oak's

**CHAPTER 3: DINNER AT OAK'S**

The next morning, Red woke up and stretched his arms. He took a look at the window. It was an excellent day to be outside.

Red yawned. "Today, I'll spend some time at Leaf's house," he said. "I'm sure her mom will be happy to see me again."

When Red went downstairs and entered the kitchen, he looked around. His mom was at the stove with a pan in her right hand. She had made some pancakes for her son. Red thought that this would be good.

"You're going to have a nice breakfast," said Maria. "I'm sure you didn't get pancakes in a long time."

"I did a few times," said Red. "Just not yours."

"Then you'll be happy to have mine," said Maria. "I made plenty." Maria served Red some pancakes. Red ate them up. He thought they were delicious. Maria told Red that there were more where that came from, so she served Red some more pancakes. Red at those too.

After breakfast, Red went in the shower. Maria had to show him how to take a shower since Red had forgotten how. Red managed to clean himself very well. After his shower was over, Red went upstairs and got dressed. He put on a red shirt and a pair of black shorts. He put on his baseball cap as well. Then Red let Pika out of his Poke Ball. The two would walk together.

Red left the house. He and Pika walked together. The warm breeze blew against Red's hair and Pika's fur.

When Red arrived at Leaf's house, he looked for Leaf. She was not outside. Red knocked on the front door and waited for an answer. Jane, Leaf's mom, opened the door and saw Red.

"Hello, Red," said Jane. "I heard that you moved back in with your mom. Leaf's in the living room, if you want to go see her."

Red and Pika went inside. They saw Leaf in the living room. She was sitting on a chair.

Leaf turned around and saw Red and Pika.

"Hi, Red," said Leaf. "Hi, Pika."

"Pika pika," said Pika.

"Hey," said Red.

"Good to see you again," said Leaf. "How did you sleep?"

"Good," said Red. "It's so nice to be in my own bed again."

"I know how much that feels," said Leaf. "It's tough sleeping outside your home."

"Do you want to go over to Blue's house for dinner later," said Red. "Blue's dad is visiting."

"I'll go," said Leaf.

"Great!" said Red. "I wonder what we'll eat."

"Blue says that it's a surprise," said Leaf. "His dad is the one cooking dinner."

"I bet it's going to be something good," said Red.

Leaf thought that it would be good to get some fresh air.

"Do you want to spend some time outside?" she asked Red. "We can play in the yard, and we can go swimming later. I know a great place where we can swim. I wonder if you remember it - we went there a lot as kids."

"That would be great," said Red. "Daisy bought me a swimsuit."

Red, Leaf, and Pika played outside in Leaf's yard for about an hour and a half. Then Red took Pika home and got changed. Once they were both in their swimsuits, Red and Leaf met up. They swam in the sea at Route 21, near the strip of land that had tall grass with plenty of wild Tangela.

"How's the water?" asked Leaf.

"It's refreshing," said Red. "It's a little colder than the water outside Mt. Silver, but I've been in the sea during my travels. It's nice!"

"I know," said Leaf. "Watch out for Tentacool, though. They have a nasty sting."

Red and Leaf splashed around. The two of them swam under the surface. They saw Shellder and Staryu sitting at the bottom and Tentacool floating around. A Tentacool drifted closer to Red, who was about face from it. Red didn't notice that the Tentacool was coming. Leaf quickly pulled Red away and brought him back to the surface.

"That was close!" said Leaf.

Red and Leaf played together the whole day. They climbed trees in the woods and looked up at the clouds, imagining what they looked like. Red and Leaf were having lots of fun. The hours just seemed to fly by.

Eventually, it was time for dinner at Blue's. Red washed himself up for dinner, and made his way to Blue's house. Red knocked on Blue's door. Professor Oak opened the door and greeted Red.

"Hi, Prof...Dad," said Red. "Is dinner ready?"

"Not yet," said Oak. "Wesley's still making it." Red went inside.

Wesley, Oak's oldest son and Daisy and Blue's father, was in the kitchen. He was a tall man with short brown hair and brown eyes. He was wearing a white shirt and blue jeans. He was cooking dinner, and Daisy was helping him.

Blue and Leaf were in the living room, watching TV.

"We're watching the baseball game," Blue told Red. "Care to join us?"

"Okay," said Red.

Red sat down on the couch. He found the TV hard to watch. It was getting boring seeing this game. Red yawned a few times, and nearly fell asleep.

"You okay, Red?" asked Leaf.

"Do you think I could do something else?" asked Red. "This is boring."

"Are you kidding?" said Blue. "This game is awesome! You used to love watching baseball."

"Blue," said Leaf. "Red hasn't watched TV in years. He's not used to it."

"Okay," said Blue. He turned to Red. "There's crayons and paper in the basement. You can color if you want."

"Sure," said Red.

Red got up and went downstairs.

"Eh, he never did care much for television," said Leaf.

"I know," said Blue. "But he used to watch the games on TV. Now it's just ridiculous."

"He's not used to it," said Leaf.

Eventually, it was time for dinner. Everyone sat down at the table. Wesley began serving everyone.

"This is one of my specialties," said Wesley. He walked over to Red. "I'm glad to have my little brother be the first to try my dish. I'm sure he will love it! How does noodles and Swedish meatballs sound to you?"

Red nodded his head.

Wesley served Red some noodles and Swedish meatballs. Red just looked at the dish. This was something that he had not seen in ages. Red did not know if it would be good or not.

"Is there anything you need, Red?" asked Wesley.

"No, not at all," said Red.

Everyone else at the table started talking about all sorts of things. They all made effort to talk to Red. Red didn't talk much.

"How did you like swimming at Route 21?" asked Daisy.

"It was great," said Red. "The water felt great."

Red was especially excited about talking to Professor Oak.

"Red," said Professor Oak, "now that I know you to be my son, I'll always make sure that you are included in family events."

"I'd be very pleased with that," said Red.

"You deserve it," said Daisy. "You're family to us."

"We want to make sure you're happy," said Blue.

"And that means having you in our lives," said Wesley.

"Thanks," said Red.

Then, Oak noticed Red's plate. It was still full of food.

"Is something wrong, Red?" asked Professor Oak.

"No," said Red.

"You haven't touched your food," said Professor Oak.

"Do you not like what I made?" asked Wesley. "Because if you want something else, that is definitely an option."

"No thanks," said Red. "I'll try some of the food. I was just being a little too sensitive."

Red tried a few noodles. They tasted good, so he had more. Then he tried the Swedish meatballs. He picked up one of the Swedish meatballs with his fork and carefully took a bite. He let it slither down his throat. He thought the taste was odd. Red took another bite and decided that he had had enough.

"May I please be excused?" asked Red. "I'm not that hungry."

"Of course, son," said Professor Oak.

Red went to lie on the couch. He was feeling really off. It must have been that Swedish meatball. Something about this unfamiliar food did not work well with his digestive system.

After a while, Leaf came in.

"Are you okay, Red?" said Leaf.

"I think I'm going to go home," said Red. "My stomach's a bit upset."

Red said goodbye to everyone and went home. He told Maria that his stomach was bothering him. She suggested that he lie down.

That night, Red felt that he was going to vomit. He rushed to the bathroom and threw up in the toilet. Maria gave Red some antacid, which helped soothe his stomach. Red spent the rest of the night in his room before he went to bed.


	4. The Library

_**A/N:** Sorry I wasn't able to update in a while. I totally forgot about this website. Do forgive me._

_I chose Little Women as the book that Red wants to read because I recently read it for the first time. I also included another classic reference - see if you can find it!_

* * *

**CHAPTER 4: THE LIBRARY**

A new day came. Red did his usual morning routine. After he had finished it and gotten dressed, he met up with Leaf.

"What do you want to do today?" Leaf asked Red.

"I don't know," said Red. He listened to his surroundings. "It's very quiet outside."

"I know," said Leaf. "Isn't it nice?" She came up with a good idea. "I know! Why don't we head on over to the Pallet Town Library? It's very nice and quiet there, so we won't have to worry about people. I'll take you."

"Sure," said Red. "I can't remember the last time I read a good book."

Red and Leaf went to the library. There it was very quiet and peaceful. Red felt like he could hear the other people's thoughts due to the silence.

"There's thousands of books to choose from," said Leaf. "Why don't you pick one that you like and start reading?"

Red looked through all the novels. There were some with very weird names that made Red laugh. He was unsure if he wanted to read these books. Red picked out a few books that sounded good. He took out _The Shining_. _My Sister's Keeper_, and three other books.

"I bed these will be good," said Red.

Red read the first pages of _The Shining_. He was puzzled. There were a lot of words, and they were cluttered so tightly. He could not read the small letters. After a few minutes, Read decided that he would close the book. He tried the other books. They weren't much easier.

"Aaaugh!" said Red. "These books are too hard!"

Red got the attention of a few people in the library, who told him to be quiet. Luckily, the librarian was in the bathroom, so she didn't hear him. But Red was still quite embarrassed at the whole situation.

Leaf walked up to Red.

"Umm..." she said, "this is a library. You're supposed to be quiet."

"Sorry, Leaf," whispered Red. "I just can't read these books. They're so difficult."

"Maybe I should start you with something easy," whispered Leaf. "Come with me to the children's section."

Leaf took Red to the children's section. She led him to the picture books.

"I'll start you off with a fairy tale," said Leaf. "These are easy." She took out a Cinderella picture book. "How about Cinderella? You probably know the story already, but it's nice to read it again. I hope it's not too childish for you."

"Not at all," said Red. "I think it would be better if I started small. Besides, it has a beautiful cover. The illustrations must be nice."

Leaf gave Red the Cinderella book. Red sat down at the table. He enjoyed reading the story of Cinderella and her visit to the ball, and how she lost one of her glass slippers at midnight while running away from the prince. Red loved the illustrations of the beautiful Cinderella, the charming prince, and the arrogant stepmother and stepsisters.

When Red had finished the book, Leaf asked how he liked it.

"I loved it!" said Red. "It was a nice, easy book to reintroduce me to the world of reading."

"Reading is an amazing thing," said Leaf. "You should try doing it as often as possible. Once you get the hang of it, you can work your way up to the bigger books."

"When I was ten, I was able to read a whole novel," said Red. "Now I can only read picture books." He sighed.

"It's okay, Red," said Leaf. "Not everyone is a reader."

"I'll work on it," said Red. "I promise!"

"Okay," said Leaf.

Red saw Leaf's book.

"What book is that?" asked Red.

"It's called _Little Women_," said Leaf. "I like it a lot. It might be a bit girly for you, though."

"I'm not bothered by that," said Red.

"That's good," said Leaf. "Blue doesn't like _Little Women_. He thinks it's only for girls."

"Books are for everyone," said Red. "We can read what we want."

"I suppose I could buy you a copy," said Leaf. "My old copy fell apart, so I have to make do with the library's. But it's very easy to find. If you read enough books, I'll buy you a copy of your own. I'm sure you'd like it. One of the sisters kind of reminds me of you."

Red blushed.

"Sounds like a good book," said Red. "I'm looking forward to reading it." Despite blushing previously, Red was being honest. "I might take out some other books - ones that are a little harder than that Cinderella book."

Red took out a few small chapter books - the kind given to kids in early grades. Red promised he would finish all of them.

Later, Red and Leaf decided to go to Viridian City. Red still knew how to ride his bike, since he had brought it with him to Mt. SIlver. Red and Leaf rode their bikes to the Viridian Gym, where Blue was battling opponents.

WHen Red and Leaf entered the Gym, they saw Blue battling a girl. Blue was using Exeggutor, while the girl was using Weezing.

"You';re in a corner now, Sally," said Blue. (Sally was the girl.)

"Weezing," said Sally, "use Sludge!" Weezing shot poisonous sludge at Exeggutor.

"Exeggutor, Stomp attack!" said Blue. Exeggutor raised up its foot and stomped on Weezing.

"Weezing, use Poison Gas!" said Sally. Weezing fired poison gas, but it missed Exeggutor. Luckily, it didn't hit anyone.

"Exeggutor, use Psychic!" said Blue. Exeggutor shot strong psywaves at Weezing, making it faint.

"I win!" said Blue.

Red and Leaf clapped for Blue.

"Good job!" said Red.

"Don't get cocky about it," said Sally.

"Sorry, little girl," said Blue. "But being cocky is just who I am!" He laughed. Then he turned to Red. "I'm on a streak!"

"Hooray!" said Leaf.

"But I know I could never beat Red," said Blue. "Right, Red?"

"Yes..." stuttered Red.

Some of the people in the Gym overheard Blue saying Red's name.

"Red?" said a girl in the audience.

"Red's here?" said another girl.

"Whoa!" said a guy. "Blue got the famous Red to come into his Gym!"

Several people started crowding around Red. Red was not used to getting this kind of attention. He had been away from crowds, and in the mountains he could avoid them. He was so nervous now.

"Yeah," said Blue. "Red is here. What's it to you? He is my friend."

A pink-haired girl from Pallet Town, whose name was Josie Nye, spoke up. She was the main gossip in Pallet Town - and to make things worse, both of her parents were gossips too. Red found her very annoying when he was a kid, and he still found her annoying.

"They are more than just friends," said Josie. "Red is Blue's uncle. I know because my daddy told me about the whole paternity test!"

At this moment Red wished he could murder Josie, for everyone started giving him even more attention. Red was getting overwhelmed by the crowd.

"Are you okay, Red?" asked Leaf.

"Not really," said Red. "I don't know how to handle these people. Especially because Josie had to egg them on. How do I answer all of these freaks?"

"You don't," said Leaf. "Try to get away from them."

"Run away," said Blue. "Then they won't be able to swamp you."

Red jumped up from the crowd and quickly burst out of the Viridian Gym. He got on his bike and rode away. The crowd tried to follow Red, but they could not catch him.

Red made his way to a circle of trees in the southwest, which were located near a pond. He hopped off his bike and lay it against a tree. Red decided to climb up the tree.

"God, this sucks!" said Red. "Those crowds are so scary! How do I handle them? And seeing Josie Nye again...I guess I'm going to have to get used to old enemies too."


	5. One Step at a Time

**_A/N:_**_ Only one more chapter after this!_

* * *

**CHAPTER 5: ONE STEP AT A TIME**

Once Blue and Leaf had repelled the crowds, they decided to look for Red.

"We need to find Red," said Blue.

"I think he'll be easy to find," said Leaf. "He doesn't run off too far."

"You think?" said Blue. He knew that Red did run off sometimes.

"Well," said Leaf, "the Mt. Silver thing was different. But when we were kids, Red always went to places we knew."

"Red is a curious one," said Blue. "I know my uncle well even before I realized that he was my uncle."

Leaf laughed.

"You're right," she said. "And now I think we've procrastinated enough. Let's find Red." Blue and Leaf looked for Red all over Viridian City. They searched the buildings, the streets, and the woods. But they did not find Red anywhere.

After searching for an hour and a half, Blue and Leaf came to the pond in the southwest.

"Red!" called out Blue.

"Up here, guys!" called out a voice. It was Red.

"Red?" said Blue.

"I'm in the tree!" said Red.

Blue and Leaf looked up in one of the trees. They saw Red sitting in it. Red was looking a bit off.

"There you are!" said Leaf. "We were getting worried."

"What are you doing in a tree?" asked Blue.

"Trying to get away from Josie Nye and those other morons," said Red. "I know they would never look in a tree."

"Actually, they would," said Leaf.

"Come on, Red," said Blue. "I know you like climbing trees and all, but you have to get down from there. You won't solve anything in a tree."

"Okay!" said Red. He grabbed the tree trunk and slid down.

The landing was quite clumsy, and Red's black briefs were visible. Leaf couldn't help but snicker.

"Yes, I know," said Red. "You can see my underwear. It's not that funny - and at least it's not as embarrassing as Blue's tighty whities."

Blue blushed.

"Sorry," said Leaf.

Red pulled his pants up and stood up. He shrugged.

"I'm very disappointed with myself," said Red. "When I left Mt. SIlver, I didn't think that people would notice me."

"Well, you were wrong," said Blue. "You are considered a celebrity."

"Yeah," said Red. "But I really didn't think that it was like being a movie star or something."

"Being a master Pokemon Trainer is a bigger accomplishment than even the most awesome acting career," said Blue.

Red didn't know whether to take this as a compliment or a slight offense.

"You have to realize, Red," said Leaf, "that it's been five years since we last saw you. You were gone so long that there were searches for you. People weren't sure where you were. Professor Oak knew exactly where you were and promised to keep your location a secret. Even Ethan and Lyra took special care not to reveal your location. You remember them?" Red nodded his head. "Even I had no idea where you were until last year, Red. I had thought that something had happened to you."

"Dear Lord," said Red. "I didn't see it like that."

"Your mom knew that you were safe," said Blue, "but in the five years that you were gone, how many times did you speak to her?"

"Three times," said Red. "And I wasn't in Pallet Town for any of them."

"Not to mention that a lot of things have changed in the past five years," said Blue. "There's new technologies, fashions, and other things that you were not here to experience these changes. You might feel left out because of it."

"I had missed it all," said Red. "I feel so out of date."

"I even see it in the way you are dressed," said Blue. "I hate to say it, but that outfit you've got on has been out of style for several years. It looks quite dated to my eyes. I'm terribly sorry, Red. I didn't mean to offend you."

"Gee, thanks," said Red. "Now I'm uncool too."

"No you're not," said Leaf. "You can still dress like that. I actually like it. I'm not keen on the current trends."

"Thanks," said Red.

Red was feeling a little better, but he was still troubled by the fact that he was not fitting in. And he was realizing that even though Blue and Leaf were trying to console him, it wasn't enough. He needed to see someone else. Yet Blue and Leaf really did feel Red's pain.

"Is there anyone who can help me with my problems?" asked Red. "I think I need more help than you two. No offense."

"None taken," said Leaf.

"I think Gramps can help," said Blue. "After all, he is your father."

"We'll bring you to him right away," said Leaf.

"Thank you, guys," said Red. "I'll come with you."

Red, Blue, and Leaf got on their bikes and left Viridian City. They rode down the path of Route 1 and into Pallet Town. They arrived at Professor Oak's lab.

The group went inside the lab. They saw that it was very quiet in there - research was being done as usual. Red noticed how nostalgic this place was to him. It felt like it did six years ago, when he went in this lab to receive his very first Pokemon.

Professor Oak saw Red. He went up to him and greeted him.

"It's been a long time since you've set foot in my lab," said Professor Oak. "What brings you here?"

"I need to get some advice, Prof...Dad," said Red.

"Of course, Red!" said Professor Oak. "You know, you're always welcome to see me for advice when I'm here."

Red scratched his head. "There is a problem that I"m having. It seems that I'm having a lot of trouble assimilating back into the real world. Everything and almost everyone seems so strange to me. I can't handle the large crowds of people."

"Oh dear," said Professor Oak.

"And Josie Nye was picking on him at my Gym," said Blue.

"That Josie Nye..." said Professor Oak. "When will she ever learn? I was unwilling to give her a Pokemon. Five years ago, she was screaming to go on a journey just like Red. Despite my hesitance, I relented and gave her a Charmander. I regret giving Josie a Pokemon. She was very careless and irresponsible."

"Wasn't her Trainers' license revoked?" asked Leaf.

"I'm afraid not," said Professor Oak. "Despite Josie's carelessness, she did not meet the criteria for revocation. But after Josie lost to Misty at the Cerulean Gym three times, she decided to give up and go home. She released all her Pokemon except for her Clefairy."

"She said it was too cute to let go," said Blue.

Red giggled.

"Anyway," Professor Oak said to Red, "you shouldn't let anyone bother you. It will take some time before you successfully return to your normal life."

"But what will I do then?" asked Red.

"Just take it one step at a time," said Professor Oak. "You can start doing simple things that you used to do before your journey started. Once you have done enough of those, you can tackle bigger things. Eventually, it will be like you never went on a journey."

"It's just like I said with the books at the library," said Leaf. "Read some of the small books before you make your way up to the difficult books."

"I know," said Red. "But how do I handle my status as a celebrity?"

"That might be a little difficult " said Professor Oak, "but what you can do is trying to keep a low profile and not do anything too outrageous. You know how it is with celebrities. When they do outrageous things, they make the covers of the tabloids."

"Except people like Kim Kardashian who make the tabloids for merely existing," said Blue.

Everyone laughed.

"Who is she?" Red asked Blue. "I haven't read a tabloid in a long time."

"Don't worry," said Leaf. "You'll find out eventually. Just try working on little things first."

"I should," said Red. He looked at Professor Oak.

"And remember this, Red," said Professor Oak, "your mother and I care about you and will help you along the way."

"Thanks, Dad!" said Red. He gave Professor Oak a big hug. Blue couldn't help but laugh.

"What's so amusing?" Leaf asked Blue.

"Red finally remembered to call him Dad without any problems!" said Blue.


	6. There's No Place Like Home

**_A/N: _**_This is the last chapter! Includes classic Wizard of Oz line._

* * *

**CHAPTER 6: THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME**

When Red got home, he started to read his books. This was in preparation for the novel that Leaf had promised him. He found each book to be quite interesting, and he managed to read them all by bedtime.

After Red had read all of them, he told Leaf the next day.

"Leaf!" he said. "I have good news for you. I read all of the books that you took out. I'm going to return them to the library."

"Impressive!" said Leaf. "Did you read anything else too?"

"I read some of my old books," said Red. "They feel new to me again after not reading them for such a long time."

"Then I think you're ready for the book I promised you. You'll get it soon - first I have to purchase it."

"Okay," said Red.

During the weekend, Blue and Daisy took Red to the aquarium. Red was excited to see all the fish. He even got to pet the aquarium's tame Basculin that he had been told about. At the gift shop, Red bought a T-shirt.

While they were leaving, Daisy got a phone call from Red's mother. She told Red about it.

"Red," said Daisy, "your mother wants to see you. She said that Leaf has a surprise for you."

"I will be there right away," said Red.

Red hurried home as fast as his legs would carry him. When he got home, he saw his mother.

"Red," said Maria, "Leaf left a gift for you. It's on your bed."

Red ran upstairs and looked on his bed. There was a copy of _Little Women_ lying on it. Red looked at the cover for a few seconds. Then he opened it up. Leaf had written Red's name on the "this book belongs to" sticker on the inside cover.

"Aw, how sweet of her!" said Red. "I have to thank her for this."

Red read the first few pages of the book. He quickly became enthralled by the story of the March sisters and all their adventures in Civil War era New England. He grew to like all of the sisters, especially Jo, the second oldest, who was a tomboy. Red remembered to thank Leaf when he saw her later.

On Monday, it had been a week since Red had arrived home. He was reading _Little Women_ in the backyard. Pika was by his side, listening to Red reading the story. He seemed to enjoy the story just as much as Red.

Then, Josie Nye came along on her pink bike. She looked at Red.

"Whatcha reading, Red?" she asked him.

"_Little Women_," said Red. "Why do you ask."

Josie gasped.

"That's a girl book, you know," said Josie. She began laughing.

Red thought of a way to handle this. He decided to stick it to Josie instead of getting all flustered.

"So what?" he said. "I can read what I want. And I know that whatever you say cannot hurt me, since I have the wisdom that you lack. I know that from being on my journey for five years, unlike you, who gave up and went home. So _ha ha_ to you!"

"You're such a jerk," said Josie. She rode away.

Not long afterwards, Blue and Leaf arrived.

"Did you see that?" asked Red. "I stood up to Josie Nye!"

"We saw it," said Leaf.

"Good job!" said Blue. "How do you like _Little Women_?"

"I love it!" said Red. "I can't wait to finish it!"

"I'm glad you like it," said Leaf.

"And even though I still think it's a girl book, I respect the fact that you're enjoying it," said Blue.

"Thanks!" said Red. He noticed how mature Blue sounded. "Blue, you've really matured since I started my journey."

"I think we both have," said Blue. "We're not kids anymore."

"What about wanting to fit in?" Leaf asked Red.

"I'm no longer worried about that," said Red. "I'll take Dad's advice and take things one step at a time. I know that one day I will fit in, but all I need is time and a lot of patience."

"I couldn't agree more," said Leaf.

Red looked up at the sky.

"You know," he said, "I've been thinking about everything, and I realize that it's good to be back."

"It's good to have you back as well," said Leaf.

"I'm glad to have you here," said Blue.

"I really think so," said Red, "especially when you've got great friends. And I'm not going to leave Pallet Town again, because I love it here, and...oh guys, there's no place like home!"

Everyone (including Pika) laughed. Despite the rather cliche reference, they all agreed that there really was no place like home.

**THE END**

* * *

How did you like it? Review if you want to!


End file.
